‘Guardiola made a mistake’… Pundit reckons Man City made a bad decision on £42m player 

Redaction Simon Brett with James Thompson
Published on 2024-02-16 12:30:00

Chris Sutton recently commented on the decision by Pep Guardiola to allow Cole Palmer to leave Manchester City, stating that it was a big mistake.

The 21-year-old Englishman was sold to Chelsea during the previous summer transfer window for a deal reportedly worth over £42m.

With Palmer set to return to the Etihad Stadium when Chelsea faces Manchester City in their latest Premier League clash, pundits have weighed in on the Manchester club’s decision to sell the young winger.

In his column for BBC Sport, Sutton expressed his opinion on Manchester City’s decision to let Palmer go.

He said: “Cole Palmer is back at Etihad Stadium with Chelsea but it might be asking too much for him to have the same impact against his old club as when they drew 4-4 with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge and he stuck away an injury-time penalty.

“I think Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola made a mistake letting Palmer leave, but this game is only going to end one way – a Chelsea defeat.”

Since joining Chelsea, Palmer has made an impact, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists in 28 appearances across all competitions.

His 20 Premier League appearances have also seen him make more key passes, shot-creating actions, and goal-creating actions than any other player at the club, earning him a season rating of 7.09/10 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player in the Chelsea squad.

Sutton’s comments suggest that City may have made a mistake in selling Palmer, given his impressive performance for Chelsea.

However, with Manchester City currently eight places and 18 points ahead of Chelsea in the league table, their focus will be on securing a win and ensuring that Palmer and his teammates have nothing to celebrate come Saturday.

While Cole Palmer’s return to the Etihad Stadium will be eagerly anticipated, Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are expected to focus on their own performance and securing a victory against Chelsea.

Despite the praise for Palmer’s performance, Manchester City is currently leading in the Premier League and will be looking to maintain their position.

Read Original article on Manchester City News